[1] Blow you the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in my holy
mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the day of
Yahweh comes, For it is close at hand: [2] A day of darkness and
gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn spreading on
the mountains, A great and strong people; There has never been the
like, Neither will there be any more after them, Even to the years of
many generations. [3] A fire devours before them, And behind them, a
flame burns. The land is as the garden of Eden before them, And behind
them, a desolate wilderness. Yes, and no one has escaped them. [4] The
appearance of them is as the appearance of horses, And as horsemen, so
do they run. [5] Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains do
they leap, Like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the
stubble, As a strong people set in battle array. [6] At their presence
the peoples are in anguish. All faces have grown pale. [7] They run like
mighty men. They climb the wall like warriors. They each march in his
line, and they don`t swerve off course. [8] Neither does one jostle
another; They march everyone in his path, And they burst through the
defenses, And don`t break ranks. [9] They rush on the city. They run
on the wall. They climb up into the houses. They enter in at the
windows like thieves. [10] The earth quakes before them. The heavens
tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, And the stars withdraw
their shining. [11] Yahweh thunders his voice before his army; For his
forces are very great; For he is strong who obeys his command; For
the day of Yahweh is great and very awesome, And who can endure it? [12]
"Yet even now," says Yahweh, "turn to me with all your heart, And with
fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning." [13] Tear your heart, and
not your garments, And turn to Yahweh, your God; For he is gracious
and merciful, Slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, And
relents from sending calamity. [14] Who knows? He may turn and relent,
And leave a blessing behind him, Even a meal offering and a drink
offering to Yahweh, your God. [15] Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sanctify a
fast. Call a solemn assembly. [16] Gather the people. Sanctify the
assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who
suck the breasts. Let the bridegroom go forth from his room, And the
bride out of her chamber. [17] Let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh,
weep between the porch and the altar, And let them say, "Spare
your people, Yahweh, And don`t give your heritage to reproach, That
the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples,
`Where is their God?`" [18] Then Yahweh was jealous for his land, And
had pity on his people. [19] Yahweh answered his people, "Behold, I will
send you grain, new wine, and oil, And you will be satisfied with them;
And I will no more make you a reproach among the nations. [20] But I will
remove the northern army far away from you, And will drive it into a
barren and desolate land, Its front into the eastern sea, And its
back into the western sea; And its stench will come up, And its bad
smell will rise." Surely he has done great things. [21] Land, don`t be
afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for Yahweh has done great things. [22]
Don`t be afraid, you animals of the field; For the pastures of the
wilderness spring up, For the tree bears its fruit. The fig tree and
the vine yield their strength. [23] "Be glad then, you children of Zion,
And rejoice in Yahweh, your God; For he gives you the former rain in
just measure, And he causes the rain to come down for you, The former
rain and the latter rain, As before. [24] The threshing floors will be
full of wheat, And the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. [25] I
will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,
The great locust, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar, My great army,
which I sent among you. [26] You will have plenty to eat, and be satisfied,
And will praise the name of Yahweh, your God, Who has dealt
wondrously with you; And my people will never again be put to shame.
[27] You will know that I am in the midst of Israel, And that I am
Yahweh, your God, and there is no one else; And my people will never
again be put to shame. [28] "It will happen afterward, that I will pour out
my Spirit on all flesh; And your sons and your daughters will
prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see
visions. [29] And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days,
I will pour out my Spirit. [30] I will show wonders in the heavens
and in the earth: Blood, fire, and pillars of smoke. [31] The sun will
be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the great
and terrible day of Yahweh comes. [32] It will happen that whoever will
call on the name of Yahweh shall be saved; For in Mount Zion and
in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, As Yahweh has said, And
among the remnant, those whom Yahweh calls.
